


The festival of lights

by I_am_sorry



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Second Chances, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-17 09:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11272878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_sorry/pseuds/I_am_sorry
Summary: Sidney never asked to have a soulmate. Some things were beyond him, and he had learned fate was whimsical at the best of times.The mark appeared this morning on his forearm. The mark of summer and sun.





	The festival of lights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Batik](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batik/gifts).



> I really hope you like it, Batik, I took one of your suggestions (the one where one is winter and the other is summer) and I worked with it. I can only hope, it's something close to what you wanted. 
> 
>  
> 
> Betaed by Keffy. (Who is not in this fandom but helped me anyway, because she's just awesome.)

 

 

 

 

Sidney never asked to have a soulmate. Some things were beyond him, and he had learned fate was whimsical at the best of times.

The mark appeared this morning on his forearm.

The mark indicates a child of summer and sun, thus Sidney would probably never meet his soulmate. Not in this lifetime nor in the next one. If the legends were true, he and his soulmate will not meet for another thousand life cycles.

Sidney didn’t mind his job – it was simply a job. In the beginning, he didn't even know how he was supposed to perform his duties, but the responsibilities have come to him gradually.

Sidney sighs as he looks at his soul mark and thinks to himself that he couldn't do much about it. The little symbols craved out in his skin were an ancient tongue, as old as Sidney himself. The symbols were about summer and things he isn't very good with.

The palace is cold, as always, and Sidney doesn't mind. He goes to sleep that night thinking it's a shame, this soul mark thing. A total waste.

He doesn't think about the mark for the next ten years.

***

As far as first encounters between soulmates go, this is probably one of the worst to ever happen. It's raining, pouring really. But no amount of water will make a dying valley any better. Sidney can feel the inevitable death in his bones, like an ache.

The valley is dying -crying for mercy- and Sidney has a job to do. With only a touch of Sidney's fingertips, what little life remaining in the valley is gone.

"Why you do that?" Someone shouts angrily. Sidney can't see them well under the veil of the rain.

Sidney doesn't answer, and he gets ready to leave. Suddenly a figure moves closer, and now Sidney sees him – he has the unmistakable blessing of the sun placed upon him.

The man is frowning. "You, you should not."

Sidney huffs, in all his years he had never had to explain his actions, "It's my job."

The man open his mouth to protest. "I doing my job too, trying to save valley - that's why so much water."

"I'm sorry," Sidney says, and he guesses he should feel sympathy. He doesn’t but he hopes he sounds sincere enough. "It's time ran out."

The man looks down, shoulders hunched and drenched from the rain. "Nothing to help it, then."

Sidney shakes his head. No one has cared for the trees or rivers or soil before. But this man here obviously cares – and it’s making Sidney's work difficult.

"Come with me? I can give you warm tea," Sidney offers as a mere formality, hoping for the other to say no and leave afterwards. Sidney has things to do.

"Yes, I go," the man says and Sidney bites his lip because of course this man wouldn’t get the hint.

Once they enter the palace, the man keeps glancing around with interest. But Sidney doesn’t think it's all that impressive – it's just mostly ice and stone; Sidney likes to keep things simple.

"Warm tea?" The man asks dubiously and Sidney lets out a dry smile.

"Yeah,"

"How?"

Sidney shrugs and points, "I have a kettle and a stove that humans use."  
Those objects are probably a sharp contrast to everything he owns and his role as a winter spirit, but a warm drink is nice from time to time - and human things are interesting.

The man nods. "Very smart."

The tea is fast to boil and soon enough Sidney finds himself saying, "sit down please," and bringing two steaming mugs to the table.

"Thank you," his guest replies, looking much more pleased with the warm substance.

"I'm sorry you had to see the valley die," Sidney says. "It was time."

The man pursues his lips. "I working on it for weeks, giving constant amounts of water and sun. Now doesn't matter."

Not knowing how to respond, Sidney simply shakes his head.

"Winter awful, never gives second chances," the man grumbles, sipping from his tea. "I know who you are, don't like what you do."

"Well, honesty is important." Sidney doesn't feel offended. There are many who don't like him, one more won't make a difference.

The man sheepishly answers, "Sorry I rude, I just – I sad for valley."

"I am Sidney by the way," Sidney says for a lack of a better direction in this conversation.

"Evgeni," the man answers back. "Or Geno."

"Well it’s nice to meet you."

Evgeni smiles tentatively. "Yes, is nice to meet spirit of winter."

"You are younger than me," Sidney notices. "I knew your predecessor."

Evgeni rubs the back of his neck. "You look young too."

It's not that Evgeni is particularly young -if he was, Sergei wouldn't have let him have his position-  
Sidney is just older. Prior to Evgeni, Sidney had been the youngest of the four Season-Spirits.

"I inherited ten years ago," Evgeni says, "but I was with Sergei for longer."

Sidney furrows his eyebrows at that – ten years ago, seems like an important date somehow.

"Tea real good," Evgeni places his cup down, "but have to go back home."

"Yes, of course," Sidney places down his cup as well. "It was— it was nice speaking with you,"

Evgeni smiles small. "It was nice speaking with you too, Dusha Zimi."

Sidney looks at him, eyes wide. "Huh?"

‘Dusha Zimi’ is what Sidney has written in his forearm; it's how his soulmate is supposed to call him, and is also craved with the old magic of the sun.

"Ame de l'été," Evgeni wishpers surprised, rubbing his own forearm softly - that's the words written there and Sidney can feel winter magic pulsing behind them.

"Ame de l'été." Sidney repeats a little out of breath, looking at Evgeni's arm. Of course, it's him, it must be him…

Sidney's forearm is tingling and the old letters inked on his skin are glowing. "Oh."

Evgeni forearm is glowing as well.

Oh.

Evgeni ducks his head, a little bit embarrassed. "Nice to finally meet soulmate."

***

Sidney wants to see him again. He wants to see him badly, but maybe that's too forward? Is there a rule for something like this? Should he write him a letter? Send a gift? Invite him for tea again?

Sidney doesn't know and he doesn't think something like their case is normal anyway -winter and summer are opposites. Yet there hasn’t been a case when the soul marks have been wrong.

After hours of fretting, Sidney does nothing more than go south to freeze a lake - his usual work- and then come back home.

Sidney's pet cat, made of ice and snow, waggles its tail and purrs as a welcome for him at the entrance of the palace. The steady, tick, tick, tick of its glass paws soothes Sidney's nerves.

"Hey," he says bending down to scratch crystallized cold ears.

Sidney doesn't mind the loneliness most days – he has gotten used to it by now, but sometimes his cat provides a wonderful form of company.

Sidney wonders if his soulmate feels lonely sometimes, if he thinks about Sidney at all.

It turns out Sidney doesn't have to wait much to get an answer to his previous musings. The invitation comes in the afternoon with a little summer fairy; the paper looks gold and it glitters with the light.

Inside there's a simple message:

'Come have tea tomorrow. -G'

And Sidney can't do nothing to temper his smile for the rest of the night.

Reaching the summer palace is relatively easy. Evgeni's home, Sidney notices, is vastly different from his own – all open spaces and bright colors, lived in. Homely, Sidney guesses, would be the right term to describe it.

Sidney finds the owner of the castle, quickly enough. Evgeni is outside, kneeling, working with water and sand in his backyard. From here, it looks like a miniature sand castle.

"Um," Sidney says, hoping to catch Evgeni's attentions.

"Sidney, come, you like," Evgeni says.

And Sidney does, goes and kneels at the summer spirit's side. He looks at the castle and reaches with cold fingertips. The sand is wet under his hands. Sidney isn’t sure why Evgeni is doing this, it doesn’t seem all that important. But Sidney does like the shape of it. He smiles.

"Is it for work?"

Evgeni frowns. "No work. For fun."

Sidney nods, understanding, and helps with the finishing touches of the castle. "What happens when we are done?"

"Can dissolve, but most I let here,” Evgeni says. Sidney glances around and takes in the many little sand figures scattered around; some figures even have seashells for decorations.

"I have never done something like this," Sidney presses his lips together. He's no ice-sculptor but if Evgeni likes this so much, he can learn how to do it. He just needs time and a schedule, maybe.

Evgeni grabs his hand, their fingers lacing together easily. "No need. I like but just to pass time."

Ah, yes, sometimes Sidney gets bored too - but has plenty of human things to keep him occupied. Books are a good distraction. And skates. He can skate for hours in the frozen lakes of his house and never tire of it - he has a stick and a puck too. It's interesting, and keeps him focused when there's no pressing work to do.

Sidney thinks of invite Evgeni to skate with him. He thinks of how nice would it be to play with someone else on the lake. Or maybe they can just leisurely skate around.

"Ready for tea?" Evgeni cheerily asks after a while, and Sidney flushes thanks to his earlier day dream.

They are still holding hands as they enter the summer palace -Evgeni humming a soft tune through it.

***

Sidney visits every evening for tea after that. It gets comfortable, and he loves spending time in the summer castle with Evgeni. It’s great having him within reach.

Some days they stay out in the last rays of sun (always stronger here in Evgeni's house) and some others they just drink tea and talk.

Sidney hasn't invited Evgeni yet to his home (well not officially – the first time they drank tea doesn't count because he didn't know who Evgeni was or what he meant for Sidney in particular), but he thinks he will do it soon. After all he has been visiting Evgeni's palace for months now.

When Sidney finally does invite him, he feels nervous with anticipation. He sends a formal letter with one of his snow wolves, and it's a little bit silly but Evgeni just smiles at him the next day after getting the letter and Sidney has to look down at his feet to tamper the wild beating of his heart.

The next day Evgeni brings some sweets just to be a polite guest. Sidney arranges them in a plate with two cups of steaming chamomile tea and takes Evgeni further into his home than the last visit.

This time they aren't in the chamber intended for guests or work; this time they are in Sidney's private living room - with his ice couch and mismatched human arm chair. There’s a little center table full with human books and magazines. Hockey gear is piled up in the far back of the room.

Evgeni takes everything in, leans closer to Sidney once they are finally sitting in the ice couch and smiles a secretive kind of smile. "I like it here, very much like Sid."

Sidney is pleased and goes about asking Evgeni how was his day. They drink the tea, eat the sweets and talk for what seem like hours until Evgeni stops him mid-rant about his explanation of this curios ice human game called hockey.

"Sid," Evgeni calls.

"Yeah?" Sidney asks attentive, noticing as an afterthought that they are sitting very close.

"I am cold, Sid," Evgeni says looking down at Sidney's lips.

Well, Sidney has a human hearth - it's mostly just decoration, but he's sure he can make it work somehow. "I didn't think – well it's usually cold in here so I didn't think much of it, but I’ll just go light up the fireplace."

And he's about to do just that but Evgeni tugs at his wrist, not letting him go.

"Just be closer," Evgeni licks his lips and they look a little wet and pink and Sidney swallows hard. He crawls between Evgeni's legs on the couch and stays close in a half embrace.

Sidney doesn't know which of them is the one that starts the kiss, but he closes his eyes and just tastes. Evgeni tastes likes chamomile and honey, like sun and happiness. Sidney never really stood a chance against this aching in his chest.

They kiss for a long time, until their lips are red and swollen, until there's color on their cheeks. After they break apart, Sidney can't help himself and kisses (bites) a path from Evgeni's mouth to the base of his neck – skin turning pink under his ministrations.

Evgeni is warm under him, warmer than anything Sidney has ever touched. He never felt more at home.

Evgeni stays the night, sleeping in Sidney's bed.

They don't do more than that and Sidney knows there's no real reason to take things so slow. Yet he doesn't want anything less than perfect for Evgeni – he wants to consummate with perfect timing.

The next day they skate in one of the frozen ponds outside his palace. It's easy, and they move in tandem. It's cold too but Evgeni says he can stand it now, under many layers, some belonging to himself and some belonging to Sidney.

The play with the puck too and Sidney can't stop smiling.

By the time their date is over Sidney doesn't want Evgeni to go. but they both have work to do. The only consolation is that Sidney will visit this afternoon for tea.

They say goodbye with a kiss and after Evgeni is gone, he goes out to bring a snowfall in the human world - just the usual, day to day work.

***

It's a month before they finally have sex. To Sidney it feels like sinking into the depths of a frozen lake. It feels new, but familiar. And it feels like something very close to forever.

Sidney's breath is cold over Evgeni's skin – over his lips, over the long line of his neck. There's a quiet moment between them, not rushed by passion or just lust.

It feels like marriage. A promise of a lifetime. Sidney's only regret is his lack of proper words to convey this -but Evgeni seems to know, to accept Sidney with all his faults (cold fingers and a frozen heart).

"I love you."

Sidney's breath stutters; he grabs Evgeni's fingers between his own. Their legs tangled together on the bed. "I love you too."

***

It couldn't last.

***

Mario brings the news. Evgeni is inside Sidney's palace, he's fixing dinner and feeding Sidney's ice cat – by this point the cat has been very clear, Evgeni is the favorite between the 2 occupants of the winter palace.

"The human world," Mario starts as Sidney walks him inside, "is snowing in summer, and there is high sun in winter."

Sidney stops, looks at the other with doubt. "Is it why you are here?"

Mario tenses his shoulders as he sits in Sidney's mismatched chair. "Sidney," he says patiently kind, and Sidney remembers how at one point of time Mario was all that he had. A father figure, a guardian, and a teacher.

"Is this bad?"

Mario nods and drops his shoulders. Sidney recognizes the sad and tired look. "The higher ups talked with me, and they were very clear in their instructions."

Sidney looks down at his feet. He knows where this is going, but that doesn't mean he wants to hear this lecture. Not now, not ever.

"You can't keep doing this," Mario says pained, and to Sidney it sounds final.

"How much time do I have?"

Mario shakes his head. "Seasons can't mix anymore than they already are. The human world would collapse. I can make it so you have a day, or two, but not more than that."

Sidney closes his eyes. He feels cold as he had never felt before. "Thanks for telling me,"

Mario hesitates. "Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No," Sidney has never been one to run away from problems or hard decisions. "No, I will tell him."

They have dinner after Mario leaves. Evgeni is chatting happily about Sidney's ice cat, his summer schedule and other things. Sidney doesn't have the heart to tell him: after tomorrow all of this will be over for them. No more afternoon tea, or random visits.

Sidney thinks of the patch of sunflowers – Evgeni has been growing them close to the frozen lake, here in his palace – and feels regret. They got too used to their time together, took it for granted. They thought they had forever and thought it was a good thing. Now forever seems like too long to be apart.

Sidney doesn't say anything that night, or the following morning -not until Evgeni finally says he has to go.

***

Old legends tell that once there were two ancient beings who kept the balance of the world: one child of the sun, so warm it kept things alive by simply existing - and the other a child of the moon, so cold that things died by the touch of his hands.

They fell in love.

A tale as old as time. This one. The legend of the festival of lights.

***

Since meeting the summer spirit, Sidney notices the cold mountains of his home, the cold tail of his cat, the cold of his frozen pond. But they look the same as the first time Evgeni visited him, as if time never moves.

It’s an awful contradiction of the reality – time passes by slowly. He only has memories and a chest full of letters he has never sent.

It's been a long winter. Sidney knows Evgeni is doing alright; Mario tells him news about Evgeni whenever he comes to visit - and maybe is for the best that he hasn't asked about Sidney in twenty-five years. At first it hurt Sidney, but now he thinks the both of them have to do what they can to keep their sanity.

Sidney has letters with too many words, and Evgeni has silence.

They only see each other at the annual festival of lights, but they don't speak to each other there either.

It's another form of self-preservation.

The festival is coming near, and Sidney is thinking about not going. It's not even that they are bitter with each other, or that there was shouting and accusations the day their relationship ended.  
He ends up going, because he can't really help himself.

Sidney pretends he doesn't see Evgeni across the ballroom through the whole night.

***

Sidney's letters pile up festival after festival, year after year.

Some days he writes because he needs to chase the loneliness away; some days he writes because he wants to tell Evgeni the things he has done and seen since they were together.

Although there was the decree forbidding the two spirits from seeing each other, there was no explicit ban on sending mail to each other. Sidney thinks he could have sent his letters without worrying about repercussions. Instead, he spent his time agonizing over why he didn't send any letters – he thought letting go of Evgeni was the kindest thing to do. His fear had also kept him at bay – not getting an answer back to his letters would be devastating. Thinking about Evgeni was starting to hurt. Every passing year was just a further point to what could have been.

This year the festival will be held earlier.

Sidney will probably say he won't assist, but he will end up attending.

On the day Sidney gets ready for the festival, he impulsively takes one of the many chests of letters he has written for Evgeni. This one is made of thin ice glass; it’s crafted with ornaments on the outside and has a lock of solid snow. It's one of the first chests he ever made, and while to others it may seem beautiful, Sidney thinks it’s raw and unpolished. The ones he does now are much better. He picks this not for the box, but for what is inside.

To humans the festival of lights is a special night of the year where they celebrate an early harvest and welcome a new change of season. To Sidney and his kind, the festival of lights is just a night born of good will, full with celebration and dancing – a tradition.

The festival takes place in the woods, in an open space full of little paper lanterns fixed to the trees around. There's music and a feast; and sometimes even matchmaking (which Natalie loves to partake in every year).

Sidney regrets coming every year, but he can't really help it. He sits in secluded place, still hearing the music and chatter but not participating.

Evgeni is in the life of the party though, and he is often seen laughing and drinking. He is dancing with some of his summer fairies - Sidney didn't bring his wolves; they wouldn't be welcome here anyway. He knows he is only ever invited to this celebration thanks to Mario.

Nobody here likes winter (or Sidney for that matter) that only symbolizes death, desolation, and unforgiving cold.

Sidney isn't sure how is it they are chosen to be what they are, if they were humans before -I f this is a punishment for previous sins. He remembers being a child and being cold all the time, running around his palace halls and never finding a way out, not until Mario came to find him.

"You are the new winter," Mario had said, patting his head. "You are alright, you are alright."

Sidney had been grateful of not being alone anymore, but his respite had been short; Mario couldn't stay, he had his own obligations to attend to.

As parting gift, Mario had got him a dog from the human world. "So that you won't be alone."

Sidney's dog had died within the week, as it couldn't withstand the cold. Sidney had hugged him in attempt to make it warmer but he had only managed to make it turn into ice. He cried for weeks after that, understanding he had only loneliness waiting ahead of him.

It was only recently that Sidney figured out how to craft his wolves and his cat out of pure ice.

Sid pauses his thoughts; there's no use thinking about that now. His soul mark is burning and he should be paying attention to what is causing it. As he looks towards the place where the dancing is happening, he notices Evgeni is no longer there.

"Sid?"

Sidney jolts. Evgeni is right in front of him.

"Yes," Sidney answers, voice rough. It's been twenty-five years since they spoke to each other. Evgeni is the same: his voice, his smell, and his looks - but then again, spirits don't age or change much.

Evgeni shrugs. "You come to festival but always remain alone. Never dance, eat or chat."

"We shouldn't really be talking," Sidney says, and it's true; that's an order the both of them have.

Evgeni frowns. "Festival of lights, no rules. We can speak."

'If that's the case, why didn't you come to me sooner?' Sidney wants to ask but he doesn't. It would seem childish and Evgeni has been mourning just as much as Sidney over this distance between them. Having a soulmate is something like a blessing, Mario had said. Even among their ilk, having a soulmate was rare. Sidney wonders if destined soulmates were instead cursed.

"How have you been?"

Evgeni sighs, sits down at his side. "Lonely."

Sidney gives a weary smile. "Yeah, me too."

"Twenty-five years too long," Evgeni says and it feels heavy coming out of him. "You never speak to me."

"You know it's not because I don't want to," Sidney admits, bringing their hands together, fingers tangling easily. Evgeni’s hand feels warm against his own. "I thought it would be easier for us."

"Maybe," Evgeni answers. "But I miss Sid too much, every day."

Sidney nods; he would like to kiss Evgeni but they were prohibited of touching too. "I have something for you."

Passing the chest is easier than Sidney expected, it feels freeing.

"Very pretty," Evgeni says, tracing a finger through the ice ornamenting. "I like."

"I am glad."

They don't say anything else after. They simply huddle together, as close as possible without it being improper. Sidney counts Evgeni’s heartbeat and closes his eyes, wondering if a short life together, a human life, would be better than this eternity apart.

And maybe that's an idea.

***

Evgeni,

I don't know how to start this letter. I find writing easier than speaking anyway, and yet it is still difficult. Please be patient… I think I have always lacked the words to describe how I’m feeling.

There's many things I want to say, many I have said before; I know you have your room full of my boxes now…

You must know, I love you and --

***

The next festival of lights is easier and Sidney can't wait to get there to speak with Evgeni; he can finally spend the entire night with him.

They sit close and talk all night, eat and laugh, and Sidney aches with want.

"Your sunflowers are still alive, and they grew up taller than me."

"You very little anyway," Evgeni says teasing, a healthy flush on his cheeks. "I like you anyway."

Sidney shakes his head. "Those insults won't make me want to kiss you." Kiss sound innocent compared to the things Evgeni has been suggesting to his ear all night – the hints have to do with the dark part of the woods, little clothing, and no one noticing they will be gone.

"It could make us trouble," Evgeni purrs. "but first we need drink more." His are eyes shining happily as he licks his lips.

Sidney follows the movement with his eyes but doesn't do anything about it. "No, you need to slow down. Your head will hurt afterwards."

"Sidney kiss it better,"

Sidney smiles amused, Evgeni is very transparent with his intent. "Yes, I will kiss it better," and he does kiss Evgeni’s head; his hair smells like sea and sand.

"Miss cat," Evgeni admits after a while of dozing over Sidney's chest. He's bent at an awkward angle but he refuses to move.

"She misses you too."

"Want to go home Sid," Evgeni says softly. He knows his time is running out in this year’s festival.

And Sidney understands Evgeni wants to go to the ice palace, to the things he left behind: to his patch of sunflowers and Sid's ice cat, to the mismatched chair he likes, to the life they were building together before. Sidney wants to go back to that too, a day with Evgeni every year is only torture after all.

"It's late."

"All very drunk," Evgeni nods.

"So the dark part of the woods?"

"Very lovely, I show you," Evgeni says, breath already ragged.

"Okay," Sidney says swallowing hard, giving up. "Okay."

***

And whatever I do, I am always thinking of you. I got used to the cold and loneliness of winter, it was comfortable and all I knew. The day I got my soul mark I thought, it was unnecessary complication, but…

But then I met you, and I didn't want being left alone on my ice anymore. I wanted you, you together with me. The truth is simple: you make me strong.

I am better, I'm always better when you are with me.

***

The festival of lights of this year doesn't seem any different to the other attendees. There is dancing and cheering and food - and frankly Sidney didn't pay attention; Evgeni had lead him at dark part of the woods very early and he hadn't managed to look too closely at the happenings of the festival before that. At least they had made sure that no one had noticed they had left together.

"Sid?"

"Yes?" Sidney asks, still feeling out of breath.

They are naked, sweating and exhausted -resting over a makeshift mattress Evgeni brought with him. They have only the moon as a sort of light, and that's enough.

"You regret it?" Evgeni asks and he sounds vulnerable, almost small.

"This?" It's true they could get caught but at this point Sidney is well past the point of caring.

"No, sex good, I always good at it," Evgeni huffs and makes Sidney laugh. "I mean meeting me?”

"Do you?"

"Not fair, I ask first," Evgeni says but shrugs. "I never regret you."

"Neither do I," Sidney adds, snuggling closer to Evgeni. "I-- you make me happy."

"Yes, I best."

Sidney nods his head, a smile on his lips, "Yes, yes you really are."

***

I’m tired after a hundred of years of only ever seeing each other once a year. I'm tired of not being with you and of the cold.

I've been reading old magic books – ice magic, and there seems to be a way…

Please don't worry. I know what I am doing.

***

Sidney's footsteps fall heavy in the woods; the festival seems to be going in high spirits, it's loud and there's plenty of laughter. It all seems very far away somehow, like there's a thin crystal wall between Sidney and the world.

Evgeni is at their usual meeting point and once Sidney arrives, he sighs with relief. "I think you won't come."

"I'm sorry, I'm late," Sidney says walking towards his soulmate. "I've been busy and it got a little out of hand."

Evgeni frowns. "Is all okay?"

Sidney shrugs. "Yeah, it took a while but I think I am good now,\\."

"Happy to see you."

Sidney smiles even though he’s tired, "Yes, I'm happy too."

Evgeni hesitates, visibly worried. "You sure? Not sick?"

Sidney shakes his head; he's not sick, or in trouble. Between work and his daily research, he simply ends up more tired than usual. "Just lack of sleep."

"Come here?" Evgeni asks, still dubious of that answer but opening his arms anyway. Sidney goes without thinking. Evgeni is summer, sun, and whispers of the sea; he is always warm against Sidney's cold skin, and Sidney loves him like he is drowning in it.

"I don't want to forget this,"

"Sid?"

"No, don't pay attention. It's nothing."

***

So please, don't worry. I know what I am doing, well mostly. It's old, really old, ice magic and there's still a chance it may go wrong. The risks are minimal.

And I think is worth trying.

Remember that I love you. Always, always.

I think I can make it happen. I only hope you are willing as well. After all, I know it won't be easy… becoming human.

Please wait for me. I’ll find you,  
Sid

***

Epilogue:

Sidney's soul mark appears when he is eight. His mother cries, says he's a very lucky boy; his father says there's more out of life than that, he says Sidney can love whoever he wishes.

Sidney isn't really sure what to do about it, he doesn't even understand what is written on his arm -although his father had said it looked like Russian, a crylic name.

There's an older girl in school who is Russian, she always waves at him on his way to the rink; she's fond of him in a way, she loves hockey. Sidney will ask her to translate for him once Monday comes. Olenca is friendly enough, he knows she will help him out.

In school Olenca smiles at him when he approaches her - her friends coo at him and Sidney feels himself flush with embarrassment.

"Um,"

"Yes," Olenca says, smiling at him. She's fourteen and intimidating. "You are so cute!"

"I thought maybe you could, uh, help me with something Russian?"

Olenca blinks, nods and waits expectantly for him to explain.

Sidney sighs, he would prefer this to be private without her friends watching but, there's nothing he can do. Sidney extends his arm, pushing up his sleeve, showing pale inked skin.

There's a collective breath of amazement from Olenca's friends.

"Is this real?" Olenca asks wide eyed, tracing Sidney's soul mark with careful fingers.

Sidney nods. "It appeared two days ago,"

"Oh," she looks fascinated with it. "You want me to translate it for you?"

"Yes," Sidney says hopeful. Maybe he will know what it says now.

Olenca chews her lower lip. "You know, my parents are Russian- I was born here. I mean, I know Russian but it's not, um, I could be wrong and yeah."

Sidney shrugs. "I will have an idea."

Olenca hums, "Yes, that’s true. I think is a name."

Sidney listens patiently as she keeps speaking.

"Yeah, definitely a name," Olenca says with finality. "Evgeni, or Ivan, I can't really say for sure which of the two is the right one, the letters are blurry."

"What about the rest?"

"Something about summer and winter," Olenca shrugs. "I can't really tell, but I think what matters most is the name."

"Evgeni?" Sidney repeats, his accent awful. Olenca smiles "Yeah something like that," she says again in perfect Russian and to him that feels like a start.

The soul mark is a constant thing in his mind in the following years, but he never does anything about it. Sidney thinks if his soulmate wants to find him, he will accept them – but if they don’t get along, well his father has always said Sidney can love anyone he wishes.

It's not until high school that things change.

There's a new student coming to Sidney's class this month. The girls are gossiping and waiting for it to be a handsome boy; the guys expecting a hot girl, or a boy that kick ass in sports. Sidney is captain on the hockey team, so yeah, maybe he is hoping for a guy that plays alright as well - it would be nice.

When the boy shows up, all the girls seem pleased. 'He's hot' they say. The guys nod at the newcomer and once he has proven his worth in sports, they welcome him with open arms.

Sidney doesn't get to speak to him until the end of the week, but when they do manage to talk, Sidney learns his new friend is from Russia. He moved just two months ago thanks to his dad getting a new job, he loves hockey and he has a cat - but perhaps more important than all of this is his name: Ivan.

Sidney is fifteen and he hasn't had a proper girlfriend before, but he's had sex twice now; he wonders if Ivan has as well, and feels his chest tight at the notion, he isn't even sure this Ivan is his Ivan and yet…

Sidney doesn't understand what's wrong with him. And he can't ask about the soul mark, that's a private thing, but he does want to.

They talk in between breaks after that. Ivan, who insists in Sidney calls him Vanya, is really easy to like, and Sidney can't help himself; his feelings get worse when Ivan applies for the hockey team.

They become friends - good friends and partners inside and outside of the ice.

And it's good. Really good.

Sidney only gets the courage to ask about the soul mark after they finish graduation. That way if anything goes wrong, then it doesn't have to be uncomfortable for them.

Ivan's eyes go wide, but he doesn't look happy; Sidney knows what it means. The look his friend is giving him is apologetic, and Sidney knows the reason. Ivan's not his soulmate. And it hurts to know.

His friend hugs him anyway, wishes him the best in the world and promises to always be there if Sidney were ever to need him.

The graduation finishes smoothly after that, his parents congratulate him, hug him and explain Sidney is having a formal dinner with all their family tonight. They have to go get ready.

They ask him if he doesn't mind walking home, as they still have to go to pick up his sister at her school and to buy groceries.

Sidney doesn't mind and he says so; his mother kisses his cheek and thanks him for this.

Once everything in the school has died down, Sidney gets his things and gets ready to go home. Unfortunately for him it's raining – pouring but there's nothing he can do about it, so he just keeps walking.

It's difficult to see anything between so much rain, but Sidney startles seeing someone approaching him fast. From how he’s dressed, Sidney thinks this is another kid who just graduated but from a different school.

"Sid?"

"Yes?" Sidney asks frowning, he is staring shivering from the cold. "Do I know you?"

The boy smiles, and for some reason Sidney thinks about the sun, sand, sea and ice. And a festival full of lights.

"Not yet," the boy answers beaming. "But soon."

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> *You may notice Geno had his accent through all the story... Let's just think, why not, right?


End file.
